tales of troy-第9章

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all　laughed　for　glee　when　they　saw　the　white　horses　and　heard　that
King　Rhesus　was　dead；　for　they　guessed　that　all　his　army　would　now
go　home　to　Thrace。　　This　they　must　have　done；　for　we　never　hear　of
them　in　the　battles　that　followed；　so　Ulysses　and　Diomede　deprived
the　Trojans　of　thousands　of　men。　　The　other　princes　went　to　bed　in
good　spirits；　but　Ulysses　and　Diomede　took　a　swim　in　the　sea；　and
then　went　into　hot　baths；　and　so　to　breakfast；　for　rosy…fingered
Dawn　was　coming　up　the　sky。



BATTLE　AT　THE　SHIPS



With　dawn　Agamemnon　awoke；　and　fear　had　gone　out　of　his　heart。　　He
put　on　his　armour；　and　arrayed　the　chiefs　on　foot　in　front　of　their
chariots；　and　behind　them　came　the　spearmen；　with　the　bowmen　and
slingers　on　the　wings　of　the　army。　　Then　a　great　black　cloud　spread
over　the　sky；　and　red　was　the　rain　that　fell　from　it。　　The　Trojans
gathered　on　a　height　in　the　plain；　and　Hector；　shining　in　armour；
went　here　and　there；　in　front　and　rear；　like　a　star　that　now　gleams
forth　and　now　is　hidden　in　a　cloud。

The　armies　rushed　on　each　other　and　hewed　each　other　down；　as
reapers　cut　their　way　through　a　field　of　tall　corn。　　Neither　side
gave　ground；　though　the　helmets　of　the　bravest　Trojans　might　be
seen　deep　in　the　ranks　of　the　Greeks；　and　the　swords　of　the　bravest
Greeks　rose　and　fell　in　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans；　and　all　the　while
the　arrows　showered　like　rain。　　But　at　noon…day；　when　the　weary
woodman　rests　from　cutting　trees；　and　takes　his　dinner　in　the　quiet
hills；　the　Greeks　of　the　first　line　made　a　charge；　Agamemnon
running　in　front　of　them；　and　he　speared　two　Trojans；　and　took
their　breastplates；　which　he　laid　in　his　chariot；　and　then　he
speared　one　brother　of　Hector　and　struck　another　down　with　his
sword；　and　killed　two　more　who　vainly　asked　to　be　made　prisoners　of
war。　　Footmen　slew　footmen；　and　chariot　men　slew　chariot　men；　and
they　broke　into　the　Trojan　line　as　fire　falls　on　a　forest　in　a
windy　day；　leaping　and　roaring　and　racing　through　the　trees。　　Many
an　empty　chariot　did　the　horses　hurry　madly　through　the　field；　for
the　charioteers　were　lying　dead；　with　the　greedy　vultures　hovering
above　them；　flapping　their　wide　wings。　　Still　Agamemnon　followed
and　slew　the　hindmost　Trojans；　but　the　rest　fled　till　they　came　to
the　gates；　and　the　oak　tree　that　grew　outside　the　gates；　and　there
they　stopped。

But　Hector　held　his　hands　from　fighting；　for　in　the　meantime　he　was
making　his　men　face　the　enemy　and　form　up　in　line　and　take　breath；
and　was　encouraging　them；　for　they　had　retreated　from　the　wall　of
the　Greeks　across　the　whole　plain；　past　the　hill　that　was　the　tomb
of　Ilus；　a　king　of　old；　and　past　the　place　of　the　wild　fig…tree。
Much　ado　had　Hector　to　rally　the　Trojans；　but　he　knew　that　when　men
do　turn　again　they　are　hard　to　beat。　　So　it　proved；　for　when　the
Trojans　had　rallied　and　formed　in　line；　Agamemnon　slew　a　Thracian
chief　who　had　come　to　fight　for　Troy　before　King　Rhesus　came。　　But
the　eldest　brother　of　the　slain　man　smote　Agamemnon　through　the　arm
with　his　spear；　and；　though　Agamemnon　slew　him　in　turn；　his　wound
bled　much　and　he　was　in　great　pain；　so　he　leaped　into　his　chariot
and　was　driven　back　to　the　ships。

Then　Hector　gave　the　word　to　charge；　as　a　huntsman　cries　on　his
hounds　against　a　lion；　and　he　rushed　forward　at　the　head　of　the
Trojan　line；　slaying　as　he　went。　　Nine　chiefs　of　the　Greeks　he
slew；　and　fell　upon　the　spearmen　and　scattered　them；　as　the　spray
of　the　waves　is　scattered　by　the　wandering　wind。

Now　the　ranks　of　the　Greeks　were　broken；　and　they　would　have　been
driven　among　their　ships　and　killed　without　mercy；　had　not　Ulysses
and　Diomede　stood　firm　in　the　centre；　and　slain　four　Trojan
leaders。　　The　Greeks　began　to　come　back　and　face　their　enemies　in
line　of　battle　again；　though　Hector；　who　had　been　fighting　on　the
Trojan　right；　rushed　against　them。　　But　Diomede　took　good　aim　with
his　spear　at　the　helmet　of　Hector；　and　struck　it　fairly。　　The
spear…point　did　not　go　through　the　helmet；　but　Hector　was　stunned
and　fell；　and；　when　he　came　to　himself；　he　leaped　into　his　chariot；
and　his　squire　drove　him　against　the　Pylians　and　Cretans；　under
Nestor　and　Idomeneus；　who　were　on　the　left　wing　of　the　Greek　army。
Then　Diomede　fought　on　till　Paris；　who　stood　beside　the　pillar　on
the　hillock　that　was　the　tomb　of　old　King　Ilus；　sent　an　arrow　clean
through　his　foot。　　Ulysses　went　and　stood　in　front　of　Diomede；　who
sat　down；　and　Ulysses　drew　the　arrow　from　his　foot；　and　Diomede
stepped　into　his　chariot　and　was　driven　back　to　the　ships。

Ulysses　was　now　the　only　Greek　chief　that　still　fought　in　the
centre。　　The　Greeks　all　fled；　and　he　was　alone　in　the　crowd　of
Trojans；　who　rushed　on　him　as　hounds　and　hunters　press　round　a　wild
boar　that　stands　at　bay　in　a　wood。　　〃They　are　cowards　that　flee
from　the　fight；〃　said　Ulysses　to　himself；　〃but　I　will　stand　here；
one　man　against　a　multitude。〃　　He　covered　the　front　of　his　body
with　his　great　shield；　that　hung　by　a　belt　round　his　neck；　and　he
smote　four　Trojans　and　wounded　a　fifth。　　But　the　brother　of　the
wounded　man　drove　a　spear　through　the　shield　and　breastplate　of
Ulysses；　and　tore　clean　through　his　side。　　Then　Ulysses　turned　on
this　Trojan；　and　he　fled；　and　Ulysses　sent　a　spear　through　his
shoulder　and　out　at　his　breast；　and　he　died。　　Ulysses　dragged　from
his　own　side　the　spear　that　had　wounded　him；　and　called　thrice　with
a　great　voice　to　the　other　Greeks；　and　Menelaus　and　Aias　rushed　to
rescue　him；　for　many　Trojans　were　round　him；　like　jackals　round　a
wounded　stag　that　a　man　has　struck　with　an　arrow。　　But　Aias　ran　and
covered　the　wounded　Ulysses　with　his　huge　shield　till　he　could
climb　into　the　chariot　of　Menelaus；　who　drove　him　back　to　the
ships。

Meanwhile；　Hector　was　slaying　the　Greeks　on　the　left　of　their
battle；　and　Paris　struck　the　Greek　surgeon；　Machaon；　with　an　arrow；
and　Idomeneus　bade　Nestor　put　Machaon　in　his　chariot　and　drive　him
to　Nestor's　hut；　where　his　wound　might　be　tended。　　Meanwhile；
Hector　sped　to　the　centre　of　the　line；　where　Aias　was　slaying　the
Trojans；　but　Eurypylus；　a　Greek　chief；　was　wounded　by　an　arrow　from
the　bow　of　Paris；　and　his　friends　guarded　him　with　their　shields
and　spears。

Thus　the　best　of　the　Greeks　were　wounded　and　out　of　the　battle；
save　Aias；　and　the　spearmen　were　in　flight。　　Meanwhile　Achilles　was
standing　by　the　stern　of　his　ship　watching　the　defeat　of　the
Greeks；　but　when　he　saw　Machaon　being　carried　past；　sorely　wounded；
in　the　chariot　of　Nestor；　he　bade　his　friend　Patroclus；　whom　he
loved　better　than　all　the　rest；　to　go　and　ask　how　Machaon　did。　　He
was　sitting　drinking　wine　with　Nestor　when　Patroclus　came；　and
Nestor　told　Patroclus　how　many　of　the　chiefs　were　wounded；　and
though　Patroclus　was　in　a　hurry　Nestor　began　a　very　long　story
about　his　own　great　deeds　of　war；　done　when　he　was　a　young　man。　　At
last　he　bade　Patroclus　tell　Achilles　that；　if　he　would　not　fight
himself；　he　should　at　least　send　out　his　men　under　Patroclus；　who
should　wear　the　splendid　armour　of　Achilles。　　Then　the　Trojans
would　think　that　Achilles　himself　had　returned　to　the　battle；　and
they　would　be　afraid；　for　none　of　them　dared　to　meet　Achilles　hand
to　hand。

So　Patroclus　ran　off　to　Achilles；　but；　on　his　way；　he　met　the
wounded　Eurypylus；　and　he　took　him　to　his　hut　and　cut　the　arrow　out
of　his　thigh　with　a　knife；　and　washed　the　wound　with　warm　water；
and　rubbed　over　it　a　bitter　root　to　take　the　pain　away。　　Thus　he
waited　for　some　time　with　Eurypylus；　but　the　advice　of　Nestor　was
in　the　end　to　cause　the　death　of　Patroclus。　　The　battle　now　raged
more　fiercely；　while　Agamemnon　and　Diomede　and　Ulysses　could　only
limp　about　leaning　on　their　spears；　and　again　Agamemnon　wished　to
moor　the　ships　near　shore；　and　embark　in　the　night　and　run　away。
But　Ulysses　was　very　angry　with　him；　and　said：　　〃You　should　lead
some　other　inglorious　army；　not　us；　who　will　fight　on　till　every
soul　of　us　perish；　rather　than　flee　like　cowards！　　Be　silent；　lest
the　soldiers　hear　you　speaking　of　flight；　such　words　as　no　man
should　utter。　　I　wholly　scorn　your　counsel；　for　the　Greeks　will
lose　heart　if；　in　the　midst　of　battle；　you　bid　them　launch　the
ship